Envelop-feeding mechanism.



J. S. DUNCAN.

ENVBLOP FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 15, 1910.

Patented June 3, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. DUNCAN.

BNVELOP FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 15, 1910.

Patented June 3, 1913 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J. S. DUNCAN. ENVELOP FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 15, 1910. 1,063,336, Patented June 3,1913.

4 SHEBTSSHEET 3.

i y F J. S. DUNCAN.

ENVELOP FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.15, 1910.

1 3 33 Patented June 3, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Fig. 3 is an elevation looking at t *r 'rne earner J QS EPI-I S. DUNCAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB TO ADDRESSOG-RMH COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

ENVELOP-FEEDING MECHANISM.

possess.

Specification of Letters Fatent.

Patented June 3, iii/iii".

Application filed January 15, 1910. Serial No. 538,187.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH S. DUNCAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Envelop-Feeding Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

. This invention relates to improvements in envelop feeding machines and comprises certain novel and useful improvements on the machine disclosed in my application Serial No. 480,598 filed March 1, 1909.

The object of this invention is to provide means of simple character for automatically and quickly feeding envelops in a regular and orderly manner from a supply to an addressing machine, or for other purposes.

The invention also has for its object to provide a machine for feeding envelope of different sizes and different thicknesses; to

insure feeding the cnvelops singly and at regular intervals; to provide means of simple character for adjusting to a fine degree the throat through which the envelops are fed from the supply; to operate the drawing roll positively and intermittently and pro vide means to permit the drawing roll to revolve freely by reason of the frictional engagement of the envelop therewith as it is being withdrawn from the supply; to provide means for engaging and feeding the envelop from the supply after the drawing roll which has partly fed the envelop from the supply has ceased to be positively operated; and to yieldingly simport and accurately adjust the prcsser rolls.

The invention has other objects in view which will more clearly appear hereinafter in the detail description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a plan View of a machine embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the front or feed end of the machine. the right Side of Figs. 1 and 2 ,Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional views onthe lines 4-4 and 55, respectively, of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a detail of one of the presser rolls and the envelop supporting finger adjacent thereto. Fig. 7

is a detail of the throat member adjusting 'mechanism. Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view showing particularly the means of adjust mcnt for the throat member plate.

Fig. 9 1s a View on the line 9-9 of F 1g. 2 showing the pawl and ratchet connection on theshaft 25.

Referring to the drawings, the main shaft is mounted in suitable bearings (not shown) in the machine frame 8 and a gear 9 is jmounte-olon the main shaft and is adapted tape groove in the roll, the remainder of l the periphery of the roll being s-utticiently' recessed to avoid operative engagement with. an envelop as it is fed from the supply. shaft 16 is journaled in a frame 17 which is pivoted at 17 at either sideof the main frameB and this shaft carries a presser roll 18 (Fig. 6) disposed opposite to each feed roll 15. These presser rolls are constructed to oppose the feed sectors on the feed rolls and to press the envelop in engagement with said sectors. Means are provided for yiel-dingly supporting the prcsser roll in operative position and for adjusting the presser roll to work of different kinds. For this purpose an adjusting bolt 19 is arranged through the lower portion of the prcsser frame 17 and through an opening in a lug 20 on the main frame. A spring 21 is arranged on the bolt 19 and by its expansive force tends to yieldingly thrust the presscr rolls into operative relation to the feed rolls. The operative position of the presser rolls to the feed rolls may be regulated by adjusting the bolt 19.

The stack of en velops is supported in the machine at the front, nearest the operator, by an. inclined adjustable shelf 22, by the drawing roll 23 at the throat E24, and by the vertically adjustable supporting roll 25 between the shelf and drawing roll. The shelf is secured to or mounted on the main frame by rods 26 which enter bearings 27 in the frame, one of these bearings being made to form a clamp (Fig. l) and provided with a thumb nut 28 by which said clamp can be securely tightened on the rod therein to hold the shelf in adjusted position. For end alinement of the stack of envelops I employ a vertical rod 29 which is secured to a slotted base 30 (Fig. 2) and which may be adjusted laterally of the machine and secured in adjusted position by a thumb nut 31 (Fig. 1).

The supporting roll 25 is mounted on a shaft 25' which is journalcd in suitable hearings in a fran'ic 32 and this frame is pivotally mounted on the shaft. .23 which carries the drawing roll 23, said shaft; 23 being itself journaled in suitable hearings in the main frame of the machine. The frame 32 is secured rigidly in adjusted position by a thumb nut 33 which passes nigh a projection 3 t on the frame and rough a vertical slot 35 in the stud 36 which projects upward from the main frame (Figs. 1 and 2). This construction permits of the vertical adjustment of the rot] relative tothe roll 23.

. The threat member 37 has rearwardly extending arms 38 which are pivotally mounted at 39 on the arms 40 of the main frame. This throat member is sustained in operative relation to the drawing roll by means which are also adapted to provide for a fine adjustment of said member. The throat member comprises upwardly extending arms 41 which are notched at their upper ends 4-2 for the reception of the adjusting rod 43. This rod is mounted in eccentric bearings 44 in the arms 40 and the arms 41 are held in. operative relation to the adjusting rod by one or more leaf springs 45. An adjusting device comprising a plate 46 has its hub 47 secured on the end of the rod 43 (Fig. 7) and is provided with a slot 48 eccentrically disposed to the pivot of the plate to receive the set-screw 43. The adjusting plate has a handle 4-9 and a scale 50 of any suitable character on its edge. An index pointer 51 is arranged on the main frame opposite the scale. By adjusting the plate 1.6 the ad justing rod 43 is caused to move in its eccentric bearings, and by reason ofthe eccentrically disposed slot in the adjusting plate and the eccentric bearings of the rod a. very fine adjustment of the throat member is enabled. The foregoing adjustment may be found sufficient for all practicalpurposes but l prefer to provide the throat member with an adjustable throat plate 52 (lig. 4) which is arranged in a recess 53 in the throat member. A plurality of bolts :rloperate in the throat member and are tapped into the throat plate to adjust the plate and hold it ii. place. and additional bolts 55 operate through thethroat member and bear upon the throat plate to provide f r a m re accurate adjustment; and to cooperate with the bolts 54- to lock the throat plate in its adjusted position. This throat plate is of especial importance to provide a throat of uniform width throughout its length. Owing to wear or other causes the normal parallel relation of the throat member proper and the drawing roll may be disturbed and provide a throat of varying width, but this can be readily overcou'ie and the uniformity of width of the throat mem her restored by adjusting the throat plate.

The feed rolls 15 and the prcsser rolls 18 are contimiously driven, the gear 10 on the feed roll shaft 11 driving the gear 10' mounted on the presser roll shaft 16. However, the feed rolls are adapted to feed 'intermittently by reason of the feeding sectors thereon, as previously explained, to provid.-. time for the printing operation. For the, 'same reason it is desirable to operate the drawing roll intermittently and for this purpose I provide the shaft it with a loose gear 56 which drives the idle gears 57, 58, thelatter in turn driving a gear 59 on the drawing roll. shaft 23'. The latter gear 59 drives an idle gear 60 which. in turn drives the gear ()1 loosely mounted on shaft 25' of the supporting roll (Fig. 3). A ratchet (32 (Fig. 5) is mounted on the hub 56 of the gear 56 and an arm (33 rigidly mounted on the shaft 11 carries a pawl 64 which engages the ratchet 62. held in engagement with the ratchet by a s ring (35 which is attached at one end to the pawl and at its other end to a pin (it rigid with the shaft 11. The shaft ll operates continumisly, and to disengage the may operate intermittently l provide the tree end of the pawl with a laterally projecting pm 37 WllH'll engages a stationary The cam (58 has a laterally extending .hub (38 on which an arm 6!) is mounted, this arm having a laterally extending pin which engages the main frame (Fig. '2). The cam (38 is secured in its properly adjusted position by a set screw it which passes through the collar of the arm (H) and rigidly secures the cam and an in together. The cam floats on the shaft 11 and is held against rotation with the shaft by the engagement of the arm (1!) with the main frame. The arm ()3 and the pawl (34 revolve with the shaft 11 nd th spring ()5 holds the pawl in engagement with the ratchet; unt-ilihe. pin UT on the pawl rides upon the high part of the rain U a whereupon the pawl is lifted out of engagement with the ratchet. W'hile the pawl is in engagement. with the' ratchet the gear 51; is operated to revolve the drawing 1 and supporting rolls but when the pawl is disengaged from the ratchet the positive movement of these rolls ceases so that an inl tcrmittent action of the drawing and S! p The pawl is pawl from the ratchet so that the gear 5t;

cam 68 loosely mounted on the shaft 11.,

shaftaeriasee porting roils is -provided to correspond with "the intermi'ttent feeding action of the feed rolls' i 1 a The feed rolls I operato at a higher rate of lisual provision, it is desirable to permit the drawing and supporting rolls to operate freely on theins'ha its at this time at the "higher rate of speed so that the envelop may,

in effect, he snapped'away from the drawing roll by the more rapidly operating feed rolls. For :this purpose the gear 59 (Fig. 3)

is loosely mounted 'on'the'shaft 23 and is I provided with 'a springpressed pawl 72' which. e gages aratchet 73 rigid with'the drawi wise loosely mounted on the shaft 25""and is provided with a spring pressed pawl75 adapted to engage a'rat'chet 76 'fast' on the Thus while the envelop is being fed into andpartlythroughthe throat the drawing and supporting'rolls' will operate int'their normal. rate of=speed but when the envelop is caught. by the feed rolls which operate at a higher rate of speed than the drawing roll and supporting roll, they are permitted to rotate underthe frictional engagement of 'the envelop therewith at or aooutthe higher rate ofspeed of'the' feed rolls and independently'of the gear 59, by

"reason of the pawl and'ratchet'connections between the supporting 'roll shaft, drawing roll shaft and their 1 driving gears. The parts are so timed'that'while the feed rolls are actually feeding 'an'envelop the gear 56 and the chain of gears operated'thereby are at rest.

A plurality of guard fingers 7e are pro-- vided on the frame (Figs. 4, 6) and extend upward between the drawing .roll 'and the presser rolls and projecting into grooves 18 in the presser rolls (Fig. 6) prevent the envelops from faliing out of their proper path of travel.

machine or for other,

While my improved feeding machine is particularly adapted for feeding envelops 'itis' capablepfbeing used for feeding paper, cards, and slnnlar things and it may be enifeeding mov'ement. The feeding roll operat es at a comparatively high rate of speed deliver the envelops quickly froln the mechanism and this'fee ding operation is intermittent for the purposeeirplained. The hperation of. the drawing roll is intermittent so that'ittwill' be'positiv ly driven' 'up to or roll shaft 23. The gear 61 is likeabout the time the feeding roll takes :hold of the envelop and at-this'tin1e,'bwing to the fact that' the feeding roll is driven 'faster than. the drawing roll is positively driven,

provision is'made for permitting the 'drawingroll to-revolve at a" greater rate of speed for the reason that the envelop, at this time, will still be in engagementwith the drawing roll and thus the drawing roll is permitted to revolve -freely as fast as the envelop travelswhilethe envelop is being fed by the feed rolls. Thus the envelop is permitted to travel as fast as the drawing roll revolves until the envelop is engaged by the feed rolls andthen the drawing roll is permitted to travel at a higher rate of speed corresponding to the rate of speed of the feed rolls. This prevents the envelop from being pulled away from the drawing roll by'the feed rolls faster than the drawing roll revolves which would have a tendency to retard the movement of the envelop and increase the work of thc'feed rolls.

The adjustments for the throat member and the throat plate are important to provide a throat of proper and uniform width throughout'its length to accommodate the envelops or other things on which the mechanism is working. Thus provision is made for readily adjusting the mechanism to envelops or other things of dili'erent thicknesses. The presser roll can be readily ad justed and after being set to't-he work will automatically adjust itself as occasion requires.

.VVhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a feedingmechanism of the class described, the combination of a continuously rotated feed roll, an intermittently operated drawing roll, a driven gear loosely mounted on said drawing roll, connections between said gear and the drawing roll permitting a rotary movement of the drawing roll in one direction inde mndently of the gear, a driving gear loosely'moimted on the feed roll, a train of gears connecting said driving and driven gears, and means for intermit tently connecting said driving gear with the feed roll to impart a rotary movement to said drawing roll.

' 2. In a feeding mechanism of the class described, the combination of a continuously operated feed roll, a driving gear loosely -mounted thereon, a drawing roll, a driven gear loosely mounted thereon, pawl and ratchet mechanism for connecting said driven gear to the drawing roll, means for operatively connecting said driven gear with said driving gear, and means for intermittently connecting the driving gear to the continuously rotating feed roll whereby an intermittent rotary movement is imparted to the drawing roll. i v

3. Lin a feeding mechanism of the 'class do scribed, the combination of a continuously rotating feed roll, a. drawing roll, a supporting roll, a driven gear loosely mounted on said drawing roll, connections between said driven gear and the drawing roll con n'ections between saiddriven gear and the supporting roll, whereby both of said rolls are operated from the driven gear, each of said connections permitting each roll to 1'0- tate in one direct-ion independently of the movemtait of the driven gear and of each other.

4. In a feeding mechanism of the class described, the combination of a continuously rotating feed roll, a drawing roll, means for connecting said drawing roll to the feed roll,

a supporting roll and means for connecting said supporting roll to the drawing roll, whereby the supporting and drawing rolls may be operated from the feed roll and are capable of rotary movement independent of said feed-roll and of each other, and means for controlling the connection between the feed roll and the drawing roll to automatically establish and break the connection between said rolls.

5. In a feeding mechanism of the class described, the combination of a continuously rotating feed roll shat't, a gear loosely mounted thereon, a ratchet integral with said gear, a pawl mounted to travel with the shaft and adapted to engage said ratchet, stationary n -ans for controlling the operation of said pawl, wherel'rv the connection between said shaft and said gear is automatically and intern'iittently established and broken, a drawing roll, and operative connections between said drawing roll and said gear.

(3. In a feeding mechanism of the class described, the combination of a continuously rotating shaft, a gear loosely mounted thereon and provided with ratchet teeth, an

1 arm secured on said shaft, a pawl pivoted on said. arm and adapted to engage with the ratchet teeth on said gear, a stationary cam controlling the. operation of said pawl to intermittently disconnect the gear from said shaft, a drawing roll, and operative connections between said roll and said gear.

7. In a feeding mechanism of the class descril'ied, the combination of a, shaft, a gear providedwith a ratchet loosely mounted thereon, a drawing roll driven from said gear, an arm rigidly secured to said shaft, a pawl pivoted on said arm to engage said ratchet, a cam loosely mounted on said shaft; and adapted to actuate said pawl, means for preventing rotation of the cam, and means for angnlarly adjustingsaid can], whereby to vary the time 'of actuation of the pawl by said cam to disconnect the gear from said feed roll.

8. In a feeding mechanism of the class described, the combination of a shaft carrying a plurality of feed sectors, an integral gear and ratchet-wheel loosely mounted on said shaft, an arm rigidly secured to the shaft, a pawl carried by said arm and adapt:- ed to engage with said ratchet-wheel, a (mating cam carried on said shaft, and a connection between said cam and said pawl where by the pawl is lifted out, of operative engagement with the ratchet-wheel to CllSCOIlmeet the gear from the feed roll shaft.

9. In a feeding mechanism of the class described, the combination of a drawing roll, a supporting roll, a driving connection between said drawing and supporting rolls for rotating said supporting roll while permitting it to rotate independently of the drawing roll, and means for sup aorting said rolls whereby one ofsaid rolls is capable of angular adjustment about the other roll.

10. In a feeding mechanism of the class described, the combination of a drawing roll, a pivotally mounted throat member, a throat plate adjustably mounted on said member, and means for positivel moving the throat plate on the throat mem or toward and from said drawin roll.

11. In a feeding mechanism of the class described, the combination of a drawingroll, a pivotally mounted throat member, a throat plate carried thereb means for imparting to said member an plate a conjoint arcuat-e movement about the pivot of the member, and means for imparting an inde pendent rectilinear adjusting movement to the plate.

12. In a feeding mechanism of the class described, the combination of a drawing roll, a pivotally mounted throat member, a throat plate adjustablv mounted on said member, means for adjusting said member and plate conjointly, and means for adjusting the plate relatively to the member to vary the distance between the outer edge of said plate and the pivot of said member.

13. In a feeding mechanism of the class described, the combination of a pivotally mounted throat member comprising up,

wardly extending arms, said arms being notched and each notch having one yielding wall, an eccentrieally j ournaled rod arranged to operate in said notches, and means for adjusting said rod to adjust said throat member.

14. In a feeding mechanism of the class described, the combination of a throat mem-' her having rearwardly extending pivoted arms and upwardly extending notched arms, and means for adjusting said throat membr and sustaining the same in adjusted sition comprising an eecentrieally journa ed rod arranged to operate in said notches, and means for adjusting said rod.

15. In afceding mechanism of the class described, the combination of a 'pivotally mounted throat member, an eccentrieally journaled rod positively engaged with said throat member to iLdJllSt the same, and means for adjusting said rod comprising a pivo'ted adjusting plate having a slot disposed eccentric to the pivot of said plate to receive the rod.

17. In a feeding mechanism of the class described, the combination of a drawing roll, a shaft carrying said roll, a supporting roll adjacent to the drawing roll, a frame pivotally mounted on the drawing roll shaft and carryin said supporting roll, and means for loc ing the frame in adjusted position.

l8. Ina feeding mechanism of the class described, the combination of a main frame, means for supporting the envelops in the frame comprising a drawing roll mounted in the frame, a supporting roll vertically adjustable relative to the drawing roll, and an inpllined shelf adjustable relative to said ro s.

19. In a feeding mechanism of the class described, the combination of a main frame, inclined circular hearings on said frame, one of said bearings being made to form a clamp, an inclined shelf, and supporting rods connected to said shelf and adapted to be inserted in the bearings on the frame, whereby they may be adjusted longitudinally therein to position the shelf, and may be held in the desired position by the said clamp.

20. In a feeding mechanism of the class described, the combination of a mainframe, a feed rollhaving a tape-receiving groove on its p eriphery, a tape adapted to operate in said groove, a grooved presser roll adapted to contact with said feed roll upon either side of said tape groove, means for adjusting the position of said presser roll, and a de} vice secured on themain frame and extending into the groove in the presser roll for guiding the article to be fed into position between said feed roll and presser roll.

21. In a feeding mechanism of the class described, the combination of a continuously rotating feed roll, a drawing roll, driving mechanism normally connected with said drawing roll, means for intermittently conneoting the driving mechanism. with the feed roll for actuatin said driving mechanism to cause an enve op to be delivered by said drawing roll to the feed roll, the connection between said drawing roll and driving mechanism permitting said drawing roll to' assume a, peripheral speed equal to the speed of the feed roll when an envelop is Withdrawn from said drawing roll.

22. In a feeding mechanism of the class described,'the combination of a continuously rotating feed roll, a train of gears, means for intermittently connecting said gears with the feed roll, a drawing roll adapted to be operated by said train of gears, a supporting roll also adapted to be operated by said train of gears simultaneously with said drawing roll, and connections between said train of gears and said" drawing and supporting rolls whereby said rolls are permitted to revolve in one direction at a speed greater than the speed of the train of gears to permit an envelop to be withdrawn by said feed roll from a supply.

23. In a feeding mechanism of the class described, the combination of a continuously rotating shaft, a drawing roll, operative connections between said roll and shaft, a gear provided with a ratchet loosely mounted on said shaft, a pawl fixed to said shaft in position to engage said ratchet, and means for controlling the position of said pawl whereby said. gear is automatically and intermittently fixed relatively to said shaft.

Witnesses:

WM. 0. BELT, M. A. Emma. 

